The boycott of The S*n goes back to April 1989, almost 18 years ago. On April 15th 1989 a disaster took place which resulted in the deaths of ninety-six Liverpool supporters at Hillsborough, the home ground of Sheffield Wednesday, during an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. Ninety-six people had their lives crushed out of them. Many more are said to have ended their own lives since as a consequence of that disaster. A lot of injustices came out of that disaster, far too many to list here. This post concentrates on one injustice that could have been avoided. That could so easily have been put right, but wasn’t. A British newspaper printed lies as fact, and that newspaper has still not made an unconditional apology for what it printed. Its editor of the time has never made an unconditional apology in all of that time.The front page of The S*n newspaper on the Wednesday following the disaster read as follows:

So just four days after their loved ones had died, four days after they had narrowly escaped death themselves, Liverpool supporters were confronted with those headlines. Those who were there did not believe the headlines, nor did those who knew people who had been there. Unfortunately though a lot of people did believe those headlines. The headlines sewed seeds in so many people’s minds that the 96 supporters died at the hands of their own kind. All lies, all proven to be lies, yet never put right by that publication.

At the time of the tragedy Kenny Dalglish was in charge of the club. The following passage is from his autobiography relating to the lies that were printed:

Quote:

“The press coverage was difficult to comprehend, particularly the publication of pictures which added to people’s distress. There was one photograph of two girls right up against the Leppings Lane fence, their faces pressed into the wire. Nobody knows how they escaped. They used to come to Melwood every day, looking for autographs, and that photograph upset everyone there because we knew them. After seeing that I couldn’t look at the papers again.

When the S*n came out with the story about Liverpool fans being drunk and unruly, underneath a headline ‘The Truth,’ the reaction on Merseyside was one of complete outrage. Newsagents stopped stocking the S*n. People wouldn’t mention its name. They were burning copies of it. Anyone representing the S*n was abused. S*n reporters and photographers would lie, telling people they worked for the Liverpool Post and Echo. There was a lot of harassment of them because of what had been written. The Star had gone a bit strong as well but they apologised the next day. They knew the story had no foundation. Kelvin MacKenzie, the S*n’s editor, even called me up.”

“How can we correct the situation?” he said.

“You know that big headline – ‘The Truth’?” I replied. “All you have to do is put ‘We lied’ in the same size. Then you might be all right.”

Mackenzie said: “I cannot do that.”

“Well,” I replied, “I cannot help you then.”

That was it. I put the phone down. Merseysiders were outraged by the S*n. A great many still are.

There is no excuse for buying or reading The S*n. None whatsoever. If you read that newspaper, or worse still you buy that newspaper, after reading this post, then you are not fit to call yourself a Red. No matter what competitions they are running. Regardless of any ‘exclusives’ they claim to have, even if it is the only paper left in the shop. Saying you bought it to get a £10 holiday isn’t good enough. It’s really simple:

18th Anniversary Of The Hillsborough Disaster 2007

Today marks the 18th anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster. Eighteen years since 96 people went to watch a game of football and never came home. We will gather at Anfield today, as we do every 15th April to spend a few minutes paying our respects to those who died and also to reflect on the ongoing suffering of so many people since that day in 1989 in Sheffield.

96 people died, hundreds were physically injured, but an inestimable number of people were deeply traumatised and affected by the events of that day. For many, the trauma and suffering remain to the present day.

We at the Hillsborough Justice Campaign give cognizance to the bereaved and also to those who continue to suffer – many in silence. We condemn outright the lies reiterated by Kelvin McKenzie this year as to the facts of the day of the Disaster. His comments, clearly aimed to create maximum publicity also caused so much hurt and anger, and signified a callous disregard for the survivors of Hillsborough in particular and the people of Liverpool generally. However, the grass-roots response of Liverpool fans which manifested itself in the magnificent display on the kop is to be applauded. The HJC acknowledges the integrity of Liverpool fans who remain solidly committed to the fight for justice and the truth of Hillsborough. We shouldn’t expect McKenzie to understand that though – integrity is not a word for which he has much use.

McKenzie’s lies are in stark contrast to the support others continue to offer us. Our Greek friends are again here with us today as are many others from Europe and beyond. As has become customary now, the Greek branch of the Liverpool supporters has gathered together in Athens for a mass to commemorate the 96. Let’s hope we might be able to thank them in person pretty soon! We should also mention at this point the amazing support offered by our Celtic friends. The banner which they had made and have displayed so prominently clearly shows their support to us and we are proud and honoured to have such friends.

The Hillsborough Justice Campaign remains solidly committed to supporting the fight for justice in whatever form that may take. Justice for the 96 will always remain as the fundamental aim of the campaign. However, we at the HJC also acknowledge the need for justice for the survivors of Hillsborough. We acknowledge the depth of suffering that so many have experienced for eighteen long years. We also acknowledge those who could no longer take that suffering and ended their lives tragically. We would ask you to add them and their families to your thoughts and prayers today.

I would now ask you join us in a minutes silence in order to pay respect to the 96 and those who have since died.

Hillsborough is NOT rubber stamped into the history books. This website outlines, not only the campaign for Justice for the 96 people who died at Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough football ground on 15th April 1989, historically since 1989 til the present day but also features the definitive history of what happened at Hillsborough that day.

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